That’s a tomato knife in the photo above. Talk about specific use kitchen implements! But it worked like a charm! This isn’t so much a recipe as an ode to simply gorgeous tomatoes. I am SO HAPPY that many farmers in the U.S. now raise these wonderful varieties of tomatoes that not only look good, they taste superb!

Purchase several varieties of heirloom tomatoes in lots of shapes and sizes. Slice them about a half an inch thick, lay them haphazardly on a large platter, sprinkle with good sea salt and extra virgin olive oil (and a touch of vinegar if you like) and garnish with young basil leaves. These were so good I could have eaten most of this platter with some french bread as a meal!

COMMENTS:

thelma
says:

those heirloom tomatoes look so yummy! i miss summer already….

Nov 29, 2010 | 6:46 am

jdawgg
says:

Hello Marketman,

Great photo, love heirloom tomatoes. I would love to eat it with inihaw na isda over rice of perhaps like you said french bread and some mozzarella cheese with glass of merlot on a warm Sunday afternoon, aah heavenly. If I’m not mistaken your tomato knife, is it made by SHUN or GLOBAL? it has that damascus steel look. That could be the one for my christmas wish list. Only if I know how to give a hint to my oldest son. LOL

jdawgg

Nov 29, 2010 | 6:50 am

Marnie
says:

I did not know there is a tomato knife. I have been using a bread knife to cut my tomatoes. I find the serrated edge cuts the tomatoes easier than the smooth edge of a chef’s knife. Thanks MM.

jdawgg, it isn’t my knife, rather part of the utensils in our friends’ spectacular kitchen…

Nov 29, 2010 | 7:29 am

marilen
says:

Recalling the taste of summer with those heirloom tomatoes – and some are fancifully named too! Striped German, Aunt Ruby’s German, Green Zebra, Brandywine. My favorite is Cherokee Purple – it is amazing how wonderful it tastes with even just a little dash of sea salt. It will be a long time coming for next year’s crop – August 2011 here in the Midwest. Woe is me, the commercial tomatoes are bred for looks but taste like blah.

Nov 29, 2010 | 8:21 am

Gej
says:

Wow! I could only imagine the experience of eating countless varieties of heirloom tomatoes could be, different shades and hints and variations of tomato flavor flowing one after the other! I do hope I could grow them soon!

Nov 29, 2010 | 8:27 am

Karina
says:

Those tomatoes were clearly meant for the camera (and the tummy). So photogenic!

Nov 29, 2010 | 9:48 am

eight
says:

yummy. i love tomatoes. :)

Nov 29, 2010 | 11:56 am

peanut
says:

I love tomatoes topped with slices of bull mozarella drizzled with good olive oil and sprinkled with parsley.

Nov 29, 2010 | 1:19 pm

eric
says:

some feta cheese would be nice too! or itlog na pula…

Nov 29, 2010 | 1:30 pm

Ilovesta.rosa
says:

vigan tomatoes

Nov 29, 2010 | 2:28 pm

Sleepless in Seattle
says:

That scream summer!!I usually plant heirloom tomatoes in my garden,and enjoy them while they last,good with fresh mozza & olive oil.

Nov 29, 2010 | 3:04 pm

junb
says:

I feel like sprinkling the plates with tuyo in olive oil and lots of garlic fried rice …YUMMY!

jdawgg that is a Shun knife, you can send those out once a year to the factory and they will sharpen them for free (part of the warranty). I bought a set from Williams-Sonoma, two years ago and it works like a charm! MM beautiful tomatoes…

tomatoes are my favorite. when we were still living in the promise, my aunt would put couple of tomatoes in the precooked rice. I will sauce it my rice with an adequate amount of salt and my meal is the best.

Nov 29, 2010 | 4:12 pm

EbbaBlue
says:

I was able to buy some heirloom tomato seeds (as well as the grape ones), and sent them to my cousin in Quezon Province to plant in our farm, prior to my arrival in May last year. When I finally visited them, the heirloom did not survive and 10 of the cherry and grape variety made it, but did not fruit bountifully because of the heat, maybe a dozen I was able to taste.. and they were so good. This year I will again send them some seeds to try. My cousin said he’ll plant it close to his house so he can monitor watering them.

Nov 29, 2010 | 10:48 pm

tonceq
says:

honestly… i’ve never seen one of these cultivars of tomatoes before! they still look very delicious though!

Nov 29, 2010 | 11:03 pm

kurzhaar
says:

Marketman, my heirloom tomato recipe reads much like yours except I drizzle the oil over the tomatoes before salting. And replace the first word “purchase” with “grow”. :)

Sometimes I see tomatoes like that in the market, with sections like in squashes–don’t know what the term is for that. Are they different from our “native” tomatoes with no segments? My dad used to put these tomatoes on top of rice that’s past boiling, or “iniinin.” Then he basically mashes the tomatoes by hand and adds patis.

Dec 1, 2010 | 12:31 pm

kurzhaar
says:

@kantogirl
I think you are referring to the “pleated” appearance of some of the tomatoes? It’s called pleating or ribbing, some varieties are well known for this. Costoluto genovese is one, very heavily pleated. Although I would say the tomatoes in these photos are more just a bit irregular than truly pleated types.
As to segmentation, that is internal structure and all tomatoes as far as I know are segmented internally…even the teeniest currant-type tomatoes have a couple of segments.